Harvey Scales is a veteran Milwaukee musician whose career stretches back to the ‘60s. The North Division graduate sang with an early version of The Esquires (remembered for their hit “Get on Up”) and emerged as a solo act under the name Twistin’ Harvey, a takeoff on the early ‘60s dance craze. The soulful vocalist fronted a band called The Seven Sounds, whose horn-powered music was influenced by James Brown. Scales recorded for many indie labels as well as the legendary Chess and Casablanca. He wrote songs covered by The O’Jays and the J. Geils Band. Johnny Taylor’s rendition of his “Disco Lady” (1976) went gold.
Still performing, Scales will be the subject of a movie conceived by Milwaukee-New York filmmaker Paul Mollan. Soul Untold: The Life & Times of Soul Legend Harvey Scales is being funded by a Kickstarter campaign through July 31. Mollan hopes to raise money to film a Scales concert in Milwaukee later this year. To contribute, go to https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/130330428/soul-untold-the-life-and-times-of-soul-legend-harv
